Reference letters

[Mira Dong]

I have three questions regarding referee letters.

I am preparing for application to Master of Clinical psychology course in Australia as an international student.

I have already completed my master degree in counseling psychology in Korea.

 

Question 1. I have to get two reference letters from two academic referees.

 -> For the first one, I will get one from my academic supervisor at my graduate course.

My question is about the second one. there are two options.

One: from a professor at my bachelor course. But as far as I graduated from bachelor course about 10 years ago already, the professor does not remember much about my academic ability. All she could mention is that I have well-above high GPA in bachelor degree. The professor and I have good relationships in personal, so she was willing to write a referee letter for me, but I doubt that she could describe about my ability well since it was too long ago that I took her class.

Second option: From a professor at my graduate course. She knows my ability well as in an acdemic field and professional field.

But, I heard it would be better to get one from bachelor degree and one from master degree instead of getting both in the same grad school. If I choose her, then I would get two reference letters from the same grad school.

-Do you think it would be better to get one from my bachelor degree and one from grad school?

Or get both of them from the grad school as they know me better.

 

 

Question 2.I am applying for several universities, which require all different number of reference letters. For one university they require only one academic reference letter.

-> There are two options in getting the academic reference leter from my grad school.

One: my academic supervisor under whom I completed my grad thesis, and did many projects together. She is officially my graduate course acadmic supervisor. She knows me well, but she is very critical and kind of cynical, so I am not really sure whether she would give a high ranking for me in the reference letter.

Two: Another professor, who is not my main supervisor, but she knows me very well academically and professionaly. I think she regards me highly compared to my acadmic supervisor. She would definitely give me better comments on the reference letter.

-> Can I get one academic reference letter form the second professor instead of getting one from my main academic supervisor???

If I have to get only one academic reference letter, should I get that from my main academic supervisor? Or Can I get one from others?

 

 

Question 3. I have to get one reference letter from professional field. I used to work in a high school as a student counselor and the principal of the high school will write a reference letter for me. He told me to give him rough ideas of the reference letters that I want to emphasize in it. I saw the reference letter form and there are parts that my referee should describe my weakness in the workfield. I am stuck with this question. What kind of "weakness" should I describe that wouldn't degrade myself ?

for example, "the applicant has a aperfectionism and high-standard with herself and work that makes her often exhausted and overwhelmed."

"The applicant is sensitive in sensing the mood's of others. She is easily overwhelmed by other's feelings. But, it would help her to be a emphatic listener at the same time"

<- will those statements be fine for the weakness description?
 

 

 It would be so much grateful if anyone can give me any answer regarding these questions.

 

Thank you in advance!!!!

 

Edited June 16, 2017 by rising_star
changed the title to better reflect the post's content

[1%learnings]

* you dont seem very researched at all, why haven't you done your own research on your question?

1 the most important about recommendation letters is a good one, that's the most important thing

2 why dont you ask her? ask her, see #1

3 honesty, you should be honest

but honesty is not the most effective thing, the most effective way of handling 'weakness' type questions is to mention a minor weakness, and countering it, which shows reasoning/selling skills

but anything that asks a direct or generic 'weakness' question isn't anything looking at or going to or anything

---

this entire process is about making good decisions, i shouldn't be giving you the answers

Edited June 18, 2017 by 1%learnings